Questioning one's sanity

Discussion in 'Detailing' started by Rae, Dec 11, 2010.

  1. Rae

    Rae Club Coordinator

    Oct 14, 2010
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    So as I stood outside washing my car - in the rain - today, I thought, "hmmmm, this might be a sign of some sort of disorder." Now admittedly, I do like a clean car AND the GP is new in from SoCal, and needs to be clayed waxed, polished, waxed, polished, and detailed to be ready to survive a rainy Oregon winter. But I'm pretty sure any of my non-MINI friends would be questioning my sanity.
    Oh well, back to the waxing ;)
    How many hours do you spend detailing your car?
     
  2. KC Jr 54

    KC Jr 54 New Member

    Jun 3, 2009
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    Once a year ill spend as much as 12 hrs on the paint, and about 1.5 hrs a month after that, with quick 30 min washes when i can.

    But washing a car in the rain...i can say i have never done. lol
     
  3. Mr. Jim

    Mr. Jim Mudshark
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    May 22, 2010
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    A good detailing can take all day sometimes and lots of beer :) I usually will do the MINI and the TR6 at least twice a year like that. Wash, clay, wax, wheels off, etc, etc.
     
  4. Rixter

    Rixter Well-Known Member

    Jun 14, 2009
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    Funny, this afternoon it was drizzling so the first semi-dry day in a while, and next week is supposed to be rain, rain, rain. I debated washing Spike, in the end I opted for watching Top Gear :lol: Spring and late summer I do a full detailing. I try to leave a day between coats of Epic, so the car is out of commission for at least a couple of days. Next year when I get my PC maybe things will run a little faster
     
  5. Octaneguy

    Octaneguy New Member

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    I guess I'm insane too....I was doing a Complete detail on this 2006 MCS when I noticed the bonnet was very dull and the orange peel looked different from factory.

    [​IMG]

    There was only one thing to do.....remove the washer jets
    [​IMG]

    Put my attractive assistant to work inside
    [​IMG]

    And I wetsanded with 2500 Unigrit
    [​IMG]

    And made it look like this now
    [​IMG]

    Here's a side by side of sanded/polished and unpolished on the left
    [​IMG]

    The Complete Detail took 14 hours and went from this
    [​IMG]

    to this
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  6. lotsie

    lotsie Club Coordinator

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    You may be insane, but you have lots of company:lol:. I normally do a complete detail (clay, polish, wax, trim dressing) twice a year on our MINIs. I held off this fall as we are building a garage. Well, still no garage:mad2:, hopefully by Christmas:popcorn:. Now the MINIs are parked uncovered with 2 inches of snow on them:rolleyes5:

    Mark
     
  7. Rae

    Rae Club Coordinator

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    Holy shiny! I'll post pics soon. I also realized as I folded the laundry pile - I had 5 distinct piles of towels (dog, floor, car, kitchen, people) not including their sub-sets. It's good to know that I'm in excellent company :Thumbsup:
     
  8. Friskie

    Friskie Well-Known Member

    Jul 20, 2009
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    Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.:eek:ut: I always get the results I seek. Dawn, claybar, polish and wax twice a year and a bath every week or so. Usually a good dusting is all it needs. Undercarraige once a month and interior and engine bay detail when needed. It is a perceived insanity by neighbors who have to wander over and comment that they have never seen anyone jack up a car, remove the wheels and clean all that stuff down there including the inside of the wheels and tires.

    It is catching though. The neighbor's little three year old was out one afternoon cleaning the tires on his tricycle according to his mother. I might invite him over next spring for a good polish and wax job. He's probably getting swirls on his chain guard.
     
  9. Ernesto

    Ernesto Club Coordinator

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    I was out washing my car yesterday in the drizzle as well.. Tough part was it was 35 degrees outside in Chicagoland. All that work to have a clean-ish car for a snowy MINI get-together today
    Snowy MINI Cooper | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
     
  10. Rixter

    Rixter Well-Known Member

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    If you did a proper job waxing, the snow should just slide off your MINI
     
  11. lotsie

    lotsie Club Coordinator

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    The snow slide right off the layer of ice on ours:rolleyes5::lol:

    Mark
     
  12. quikmni

    quikmni Moderator

    Jun 6, 2009
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    Glad to see you are taking good care of your new GP.
    I have been know to wash the car during a drizzle. I figure I need to get the dirt off and the rain is pretty clean. It does make it hard to dry.
    I clay/wax about once a year. I do use quick wax spray about one a month.
     
  13. TGS91

    TGS91 New Member

    May 8, 2009
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    If it's a mental disorder then it's a shared discorder! :cornut:

    I washed it in the rain so I could pull it in the garage to dry, remove old wax, clay, etc, etc one of my day long detail binges

    I for one can cosign your insanity!:crazy:
     
  14. Nitrominis

    Nitrominis Banned

    May 9, 2009
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    Yes but do you clean, polish and wax the under side of your MINI..

    I DO ! ......:crazy:
     
  15. iwashmycar

    iwashmycar Active Member

    Jun 1, 2009
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    Im stepping it up a notch this winter. I used to wash it whenever I could take my bucket to the local coin-op one... brrrr cold.

    All I have to work with is a detached apartment style garage, which is luckily sealed decently, though not a bit of insulation, or ceiling for that matter.

    I've got the battery operated power washer, and a propane heater. Neighbors are going to think I am insane carrying a bucket full of car wash suds out to my garage through the snow.

    What I have yet to try is parking on a tarp to have more control of the water runoff, and not let it freeze on the concrete floor, which is sloped, but conveniently it just all goes to the corner instead of out the door lol. :eek:ut:
    Im only worried that tarps are flammable.... Got to keep them away from the exhaust and heater...
     
  16. KittyMini

    KittyMini Club Coordinator

    Jun 24, 2009
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    I've washed my car in the rain.... it looked like it was going to storm when I started..... then poured in the middle of the wash. By the time I was drying, the storm had already blown over :Thumbsup:

    I would probably wash my car in the rain again :eek:ut:
     
  17. beken

    beken Well-Known Member
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    I guess I have it all wrong. I thought washing my car(s) was how you made it rain. :idea:
     
  18. cop1406

    cop1406 New Member

    Jan 6, 2010
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    Oink Oink
    Sonora, CA
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    Washed mine last week and then it rained. Washed it again, rained two days later. Washed it a third time in one week. Wife said I was obsessed. Duh.......:arf:
     
  19. Angib

    Angib New Member

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    Hey, the 'opposition' want a right of reply:

    Just having a use for the word 'detailing' means your sanity isn't in question - it's already gone. Just using the word is grounds for medication.:eek6:

    I'm worried about myself as I clean the roof of my car once or twice a year more often than I clean the roof of my house.
     
  20. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    May 4, 2009
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    You aren't really in trouble until you routinely wash and clean the car while it is snowing.

    Happens to me at least 3 times a year.....lol
     

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